Method for processing service connection in a communication network and device thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a method for processing a service connection in a communication network, comprising: A) determining, in response to a establishment request for the service connection from a UE, whether the service corresponding to the establishment request is a sponsored service, wherein the sponsored service is provided by a third party application provider; B) sending a validating request for the sponsored service to the third party application provider, if the service corresponding to the establishment request is a sponsored service; and C) controlling the sponsored service connection according to the information related to the sponsored service, if receiving a successful acknowledgement corresponding to the validating request. And a device corresponding to the method is provided. With the above method, the data connection of the sponsored application service may be dynamically controlled and configured, moreover the requirement of QoS control service can be dynamically met.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to communication network, and particularlyto a method and device for establishing, monitoring/controlling aservice connection in a wireless communication network.

BACKGROUND

As 3GPP LTE mobile broadband technology is getting matured, it makespossible for end user to conveniently access/download applications viamobile handset anytime, anywhere and in any way. More and moreapplication providers dig out this business opportunity, attract hugemobile end users via providing a lot of fancy applications. However,with LTE mobile broadband deployment, most network operators are alsoworrying about only becoming as network “bit pipe” providers, and arefacing challenges how to earn money from the application service.

The new emerging sponsored data connection business model occurs betweennetwork operator and third party application provider. In such newbusiness model, the sponsored application service provider will own theusers, who will pay, for the service in their use, the application storeprovider (such as Google, Apple AppStore, Yahoo, Facebook, . . . ),instead of paying directly, for the service in their use, the mobileoperator. The sponsored application service provider will have furtherrevenue sharing with the network providers to guarantee the quality ofservice (QoS) of its application via mobile operator's broadbandnetwork.

Currently, mobile operators have the ability of 3GPP policy and chargingcontrol (PCC) and deep packet inspection (DPI) technology to assistoperator in controlling and managing the network bandwidth to make fulluse of and monetize the resource in the their network. However, thecurrent 3GPP architecture cannot well adapt for the new emergingsponsored business model between mobile operators and third partyapplication store (AppStore) providers. The 3GPP PCC architecture onlyprovides the solution for operator to control its own subscriber's dataservice connection, but does not propose how to have policy and chargingcontrol for the end user owned by the third party application providers,since the third party end user pays for the network connectivity whichis separate from the subscriber's online charging in the PCCarchitecture.

Thus, in a sponsored application connection service model, there isshort of a solution enabling the operator dynamically control/configuredata connection of the sponsored application service during theexistence of the connection, according to traffic flow of dataconnection of the service.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the drawback existing in the prior art, the present inventionprovides a method and device for establishing and maintaining theconnection of sponsored service in the communication network, therebysolving the inability of dynamic metering of traffic flow for theservice of the UE in the data bearing network of the prior art, and incorrespondence to requirement of traffic flow of the service connection,dynamically controlling, configuring the data connection of thesponsored application service to dynamically meet the demands of QoScontrol service in combination with the usage limit for the service ofUE, thus enhancing the performance of current 3GPP PCC architecture soas to enable policy and charging control for the sponsored data serviceor application in the operator' network.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provideda method for processing a service connection in a communication network,comprising: A) determining, in response to an establishment request forthe service connection from a UE, whether the service corresponding tothe establishment request is a sponsored service, wherein the sponsoredservice is provided by a third party application provider; B) sending avalidating request for a sponsored service to the third partyapplication provider, if the service corresponding to the establishmentrequest is the sponsored service; and C) controlling the sponsoredservice connection according to the information related to the sponsoredservice, if receiving a successful acknowledgement corresponding to thevalidating request; wherein the related information is acquired from thethird party application provider.

Optionally, the implementation of the method may be deployed in thesubscriber profile repository (SPR) of the communication network.

Correspondingly, according to another one embodiment of the presentinvention, there is provided a method of providing service usageinformation of a UE in a service management and usage control system ofa communication network, comprising the steps of: receiving usage reportof a third party service on the UE; b) judging, according to the report,whether the usage limit of the third party service for the UE isexceeded; c) sending a limit exceeding report, if the usage limit of theservice is exceeded.

According to another one embodiment of the present invention, there isprovided a device for processing a service connection communicationnetwork, comprising: a connection determining module for determining, inresponse to a establishment request for the service connection from aUE, whether the service corresponding to the establishment request is asponsored service, wherein the sponsored service is provided by a thirdparty application provider; a validating request sending module forsending a validating request for the sponsored service to the thirdparty application provider, if the service corresponding to theestablishment request is a sponsored service; and a connectionestablishing module for controlling the sponsored service connectionaccording to the information related to the sponsored service, ifreceiving a successful acknowledgement corresponding to the validatingrequest; wherein the related information is acquired from the thirdparty application provider.

Accordingly, according to still another one embodiment of the presentinvention, there is provided a device for providing service usageinformation of a UE in a service management and usage control system ofa communication network, comprising: a service report receiving modulefor receiving usage report of the service on the UE/end user; a limitjudging module for judging, according to the report, whether the usagelimit of the service for the UE/end user is exceeded; a limit exceedingreport sending module for sending a limit exceeding report, if the usagelimit of the service for the UE/end user is exceeded.

In the solution of embodiment(s) of the present invention, it is SPRthat interfaces with the sponsored application service provider, toacquire the runtime information of sponsored service connection, forexample, QoS information. Being well compatible with the chargingarchitecture of the existing 3GPP standard, there is no need ofimprovements for the interfaces of Gx and Gy. The solution of theembodiment(s) renders application layer transparent to the networkbearing layer, thereby enabling the network bearing layer to acquire, inreal time mode, the usage status, usage/spending limit of the sponsoredservice connection and QoS related information etc., thus resulting in amore precise charging. Moreover, the network bearing layer does not needto adapt particularly for the sponsored service connection.

Furthermore, for the requirement of data traffic flow of the sponsoredservice connection, policy and rule of such as charging are dynamicallygenerated, thereby enabling a dynamical control, configuration of thedata connection of the sponsored application service, thus dynamicallymeeting the requirement of QoS control service.

Additionally, in one embodiment of the present invention, with theutilization of position of SPR in the PCC architecture, data service isconnected between a first UE and a second UE and the sponsored serviceis controlled in runtime mode, thereby making full use of the existingarchitecture of PCC, minimizing the amendments to the system. Moreover,SPR further queries the usage control and charging system of third partyapplication provider to verify the validation of end user, the sponsoredservice connection to which the UE requests the attachment and the datausage relative thereto. On the basis of an authorized data usage, insome embodiment (s) of the present invention, policy and chargingcontrol rule is generated according to the information about suchsponsored service connection, moreover, generally, the embodiment of thepresent invention corresponds to basic 3GPP PCC architecture andprinciple.

In one embodiment of the present invention, charging data record may begenerated, thereby facilitating offline charging settlement amongrelevant parties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent by reading the following description ofnon-limiting embodiments with the aid of appended drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system topology of a communication networkaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of method for processing serviceconnection in the communication network according to one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of scenario for processing serviceconnection on the occasion of access of a sponsored application servicein the communication network according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of scenario for processing serviceconnection on the occasion that rule policy is updated in thecommunication network according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a structural block diagram of a device for processingthe service connection according to one embodiment of the presentinvention.

wherein, same or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similardevice(module) or step of method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system topology of a communication networkaccording to one embodiment of the present invention. In thecommunication network as shown in FIG. 1, on the side of operator, thereare SPR 12, Application Function (AF) module 11, Policy and ChargingRules Function(PCRF) module 13, Bearing Binding and Event ReportFunction(BBERF) module 14, Policy and Charging Enforcement Function(PCEF) module 15. On the side of sponsored application service provider,there are sponsored service management and usage control system 22 andapplication store 21. UE 30 accesses the network via the above BBERFmodule 14 and PCEF module 15. The UE 30 may initiate service connectionrequest, and the service may be provided by application store 21.

Wherein, there is a signaling of application layer between ApplicationFunction module 11 and sponsored service management and usage controlsystem 22, while data bearing layer resides substantially between PCEFmodule 15 and application store 21.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of method for processing serviceconnection in the communication network according to one embodiment ofthe present invention. As shown in the Figure, the method comprisesthree steps: step S201 of determining sponsored service connection, stepS202 of validating request for sponsored service connection, step S203of establishing sponsored service connection.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of scenario for processing serviceconnection on the occasion of access of a sponsored application servicein the communication network according to one embodiment of the presentinvention. There show the process and operation logical relationshipamong several network modules, as they perform the method ofembodiment(s) of the present invention, in the communication network asshown in FIG. 1.

Assuming that UE 30 initiates, at a given time, an access to PCEF module15 for some sponsored service.

Correspondingly, in step S201, it may be determined, in response to aestablishment request for the service connection from UE 30, whether theservice corresponding to the establishment request is a sponsoredservice, wherein a third party application provider, for example theapplication store 21 shown in FIG. 1, provides UE 30 with such sponsoredservice.

Then, in step S202, if the service corresponding to the establishmentrequest is a sponsored service, sending a validating request for thesponsored service to the third party application provider, for examplesponsored service management and usage control system 22 and/orapplication store 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, optionally, SPR 12 may perform, as an performingsubject, step S201 and step S202.

Subsequently, in step S203, on the occasion of receiving a successfulacknowledgement corresponding to the validating request, sponsoredservice connection process may be controlled according to theinformation related to the sponsored service; wherein the relatedinformation is acquired from the third party application provider, forexample sponsored service management and usage control system 22 and/orapplication store 21.

Optionally, the implementation of the above steps S201 and S202 may bedeployed within SPR 12 of the communication network. As shown in FIG. 1,the steps of the method may be carried out by introducing a Sq interfacebetween SPR 12 and sponsored service management and usage control system22 in the communication architecture.

Hereinafter, further description will be made for the present inventionin combination with FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

Optionally, as shown in FIG. 3, step S203 may comprise two sub-stepS2031 and S2032.

In step S2031, a response may be made, according to the relatedinformation, to a subscriber profile request of the UE 30 to enable theestablishment of the sponsored service connection, wherein, optionally,SPR 12 in the communication network is allowable to be a performingsubject for the step S2031 which otherwise may be deployed within otherfeasible network element.

In step S2032, responding to the establishment request of the sponsoredservice connection to accept the attachment to IP-CAN(IP ConnectionAccess Network) by the UE 30. Optionally, Policy and ChargingEnforcement Function module 15 in the communication network is allowableto be a performing subject for such step S2032 which otherwise may bedeployed within other feasible network element.

As shown in FIG. 3, optionally, step S203 may further comprise twosub-step S2033 and S2034.

In step S2033, policy rule for controlling the sponsored serviceconnection may be generated according to the related information ofsponsored service connection. Optionally, Policy and Charging RulesFunction(PCRF) module 13 in the communication network is allowable to bea performing subject for such step S2033 which otherwise may be deployedwithin other feasible network element.

In step S2034, the sponsored service connection may be controlledaccording to the policy rule. Optionally, Policy and ChargingEnforcement Function module 15 in the communication network is allowableto be a performing subject for such step S2034 which otherwise may bedeployed within other feasible network element.

Certainly, prior to step S2034, there may be included a step S2035, insuch a step, the generated policy rule may be installed by Policy andCharging Enforcement Function module 15, under the instruction of Policyand Charging Enforcement Function module 15 in the communicationnetwork.

Optionally, the method in such embodiment may further comprise stepS2036 prior to step S2031, and in such step, it may be the SPR 12 thatstores the related information of the sponsored service connection.

Optionally, prior to step S201, there may be included step S204 and stepS205.

In step S204, in response to an attachment to an IP connectivity accessnetwork of the communication network by the UE 30, generating message ofpolicy and Charging Control request for the IP-connection Access.Optionally, Policy and Charging Enforcement Function module 15 in thecommunication network is allowable to be a performing subject for suchstep 204, Policy and Charging Enforcement Function module 15 sends therequest to Policy and Charging Rules Function module in thecommunication network, after generating the above establishment request.

In step S205, optionally, it may be Policy and Charging Rules Functionmodule 13 that query the subscriber profile of the UE according to thePolicy and Charging Control request of the IP connection access from thePolicy and Charging Enforcement Function module 15.

Optionally, for the method of above embodiment(s), there still mayinclude the step of generating corresponding charging data record forsponsored service connection. And the generated charging data record maybe applicable to offline settlement of the charging generated forcorresponding sponsored service connection between the relevant parties,for example the operator and sponsored application service provider 21.

For the relevant information involved in the above embodiment,optionally, there may include the usage allowance and spending limitcorresponding to the UE 30.

After step S203, UE 30 may access sponsored application serviceaccording to policy rule such as the generated QoS.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of scenario for processing serviceconnection on the occasion that the rule policy is updated in thecommunication network according to one embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown in the figure, the communication network onoperator's side may dynamically update some related information involvedin such service according to the active report/request from sponsoredservice provider, for example sponsored service management and usagecontrol system 22.

As shown in FIG. 4, the method in the above embodiment may furthercomprise step S206, S207 and S208.

In step S206, reporting information is received from the third partyapplication provider, for example sponsored service management and usagecontrol module 22, optionally, SPR 12 is allowable to be a performingsubject for such step.

In step S207, policy rule is updated according to the reportinginformation received in step S206. Optionally, Policy and Charging RulesFunction module 13 is allowable to be a performing subject for suchstep.

In step S208, sponsored service connection is controlled according tothe updated policy rule in step S207. As shown in FIG. 4, in step S208,Policy and Charging Rules Function module 13 may request Policy andCharging Enforcement Function module 15 to update policy rule, then,Policy and Charging Enforcement Function module 15 request UE 30 toupdate session setting information of the IP-CAN.

After completion of a new session setting for the corresponding serviceaccording to the updated policy rule, the UE 30 accesses the sponsoredapplication service according to the updated policy rule such as QoS andso on.

According to another embodiment of the present invention,correspondingly, there is provided a method of providing service usageinformation of UE 30 in service management and usage control system 22of communication network, the method comprises step S209, S210 and S211.

In step S209, sponsored service management and usage control system 22receives the usage report for the sponsored service.

In step S210, a judgment is made, according to the report, about whetherthe usage limit of the sponsored service for the UE/end user 30 isexceeded.

In step S211, sponsored service management and usage control system 22sends a limit exceeding report to SPR 12 in communication network if theusage limit of the service for the UE/end user 30 is exceeded.

Optionally, the report information in the above embodiment comprisescurrent usage information and usage allowance information correspondingto the UE 30.

FIG. 5 illustrates a structural block diagram of a device for processingthe service connection according to one embodiment of the presentinvention. The device 500 for processing service connection comprises aconnection determining module 501, a validating request sending module502, and a connection establishing module 503.

Wherein, the connection determining module 501 is configured todetermine, in response to a establishment request for the serviceconnection from UE 30, whether the service corresponding to theestablishment request is a sponsored service, wherein such sponsoredservice is provided by a third party application provider, for examplethe sponsored service management and usage control system 22 and/orthird party data service store 21.

The validating request sending module 502 is configured to send, avalidating request for the sponsored service, to the third partyapplication provider, for example the service management and usagecontrol system 22, if the service corresponding to the establishmentrequest is a sponsored service.

The connection establishing module 503 is configured to control thesponsored service connection according to the information related to thesponsored service on the occasion of receiving a successfulacknowledgement corresponding to the validating request; wherein therelated information is acquired from the third party applicationprovider, for example sponsored service management and usage controlsystem 22 and/or sponsored data service store 21.

Optionally, the above three modules may be deployed within SPR 12 of thecommunication network. Differentiation/distribution of the networkelements for deployment neither affects the integrity of functionalityof device 500, nor constitute limitation to the present invention.

Optionally, the connection establishing module 503 further comprisesconnection enabling module and connection accepting module.

The connection enabling module is configured to respond, according tothe related information, to a request for the subscriber profile of theUE so as to enable the establishment of the sponsored serviceconnection;

The connection accepting module is configured to respond to theestablishment request of the sponsored service connection so as toaccept the attachment to IP-CAN by the UE.

Optionally, the connection establishing module 503 further comprises apolicy generating module and a connection controlling module.

The policy generating module is configured to generate policy rule forcontrolling the sponsored service connection according to the relatedinformation of the sponsored service connection;

The connection controlling module is configured to control process ofthe sponsored service connection according to the policy rule generatedby the policy generating module.

Optionally, the above related information comprises the usage allowanceand spending limit corresponding to UE 30.

Optionally, the device 500 for processing service connection may furthercomprise report receiving module, policy updating module, connectionupdating control module, which are used by the sponsored service.

The report receiving module used by sponsored service, is configured toreceive reporting information for service usage from the third partyapplication provider, for example, service management and usage controlsystem 22. Optionally, the report receiving module may be deployed inthe SPR 12 in the communication network.

The policy updating module is configured to update dynamically thepolicy rule according to the above reporting information received by thereport receiving module. Optionally, the policy updating module may bedeployed in the policy and charging rules function 13 in thecommunication network.

The connection updating control module is configured to control theprocess/procedure of the sponsored service connection according to theupdated policy rule which is updated by the policy updating module.Optionally, the connection updating control module may be deployed inPolicy and Charging Enforcement Function module 15 in the communicationnetwork.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is alsoprovided a device for providing service usage information of a UE 30 ina service management and usage control system 22 of a communicationnetwork. The device comprises: a service report receiving module, alimit judging module, a limit exceeding report sending module.

Wherein, the service report receiving module is configured to receiveusage report of the service on the UE 30.

Limit judging module is configured to judge, according to the aboveusage report, whether the usage limit of the corresponding sponsoredservice on the UE 30 is exceeded.

Limit exceeding report sending module is configured to send a limitexceeding report, for example to the SPR 12 in the communicationnetwork, if the usage limit of the sponsored service connection on theUE is exceeded.

Optionally, the above reporting information comprises current usageinformation and usage allowance information corresponding to the UE 30.

Those skilled in the art could readily appreciate, the device in thepresent invention can be implemented by means of either hardware module,functional module of software, or the hardware module with functionalmodule of software incorporated therein.

Those skilled in the art could readily appreciate, the above embodimentare intended to be exemplary but not limited thereto. Differenttechnical features in various embodiments can be combined, so as to gainsome technical effect. After studying the accompanying figures,specification and claims, those skilled in the art should readilyappreciate and carry out some variation for the above disclosedembodiments. In the claims, the term of “comprise” does not exclude theexistence of other device (s) or step(s); indefinite article “a/an” doesnot exclude the “multiple” case; term of “a first”, “a second” is justused for identifying a name rather than for representing some particularorder. Reference signs in the claims, if any, should not be construed tobe any restriction to protection scope. Multiple componentfunctionalities in the claim(s) may be implemented by means of asingular hardware or software. The occurrence of some technical featuresin different dependent claims does not eliminate the possibility of thetechnical effect resulting from the combination of these technicalfeatures.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for processing a service connection in acommunication network, comprising: determining, by a subscriber profilerepository (SPR) located between a Policy and Charging Rules Function(PCRF) and a third party application provider, in response to anestablishment request for said service connection from a UE, whether theservice corresponding to said establishment request is a sponsoredservice, wherein said sponsored service is provided by said third partyapplication provider; sending, by said SPR, a validating request forsaid sponsored service to said third party application provider when theservice corresponding to said connection establishment request is asponsored service; and at least one of said SPR, PCRF or a Policy andCharging Enforcement Function (PCEF) controlling said sponsored serviceconnection according to information related to said sponsored serviceand acquired from said third party application provider when said SPRreceives a successful acknowledgement corresponding to said validatingrequest from said third party application provider.
 2. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein said controlling said sponsored serviceconnection according to the information related to said sponsoredservice, if receiving a successful acknowledgement corresponding to saidvalidating request comprises: responding, according to said relatedinformation, to a subscription profile request of said UE to enable theestablishment of said sponsored service connection; responding to saidestablishment request of said sponsored service connection to accept anattachment to IP-CAN by said UE.
 3. The method according to claim 1,wherein said controlling said sponsored service connection according tothe information related to said sponsored service, if receiving asuccessful acknowledgement corresponding to said validating requestfurther comprises: generating policy rule for controlling said sponsoredservice connection according to said related information of saidsponsored service connection; controlling said sponsored serviceconnection according to said policy rule.
 4. The method according toclaim 1, wherein, prior to said determining, in response to anestablishment request for said service connection from a UE, whether theservice corresponding to said establishment request is a sponsoredservice, the method further comprises: in response to an attachment toan IP-connection access network of said communication network by saidUE, generating policy and charging control request for the correspondingIP-connection access; querying subscriber profile of said UE, accordingto the policy and charging control request for said IP connectionaccess.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said controllingsaid sponsored service connection according to the information relatedto said sponsored service, if receiving a successful acknowledgementcorresponding to said validating request further comprises: storing saidrelated information of said sponsored service connection.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein said related information comprises usageallowance and spending limit corresponding to said UE.
 7. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein, said method further comprises: generatingcorresponding charging data record for said sponsored serviceconnection.
 8. The method according to claim 3, wherein, after saidcontrolling said sponsored service connection according to said policyrule, said method further comprises: subscriber profile repositoryreceiving reporting information from said third party applicationprovider; updating said policy rule according to said reportinginformation; and controlling said sponsored service connection accordingto said updated policy rule.
 9. The method according to claim 8,wherein, said reporting information comprises current usage informationand usage allowance information corresponding to said UE.
 10. A methodof providing service usage information of a User Equipment (UE) in aservice management and usage control system of a communication network,comprising: receiving a usage report of the service on said UE; judging,according to said report, whether a usage limit of the service for saidUE is exceeded; sending a limit exceeding report to a subscriber profilerepository (SPR) located between a Policy and Charging Rules Function(PCRF) and a third party application provider in the communicationnetwork when the usage limit of the service for said UE is exceeded,said SPR, PCRF or a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF)controlling a sponsored service connection, which is sponsored by saidthird party application provider, when receiving a successfulacknowledgement from said third party application provider correspondingto a validation request sent to said third party application provider bySPR when the service is a sponsored service.
 11. A device for processinga service connection in a communication network, comprising: aconnection determining module for determining, by a subscriber profilerepository (SPR) located between a Policy and Charging Rules Function(PCRF) and a third party application provider, in response to anestablishment request for said service connection from a UE, whether theservice corresponding to said establishment request is a sponsoredservice, wherein said sponsored service is provided by said third partyapplication provider; a validating request sending module for sending,by said SPR, a validating request for said sponsored service to saidthird party application provider when the service corresponding to saidconnection establishment request is a sponsored service; and aconnection establishing module for controlling said sponsored serviceconnection according to information related to said sponsored serviceand acquired from said third party application provider when said SPRreceives a successful acknowledgement corresponding to said validatingrequest from said third party application provider.
 12. The deviceaccording to claim 11, wherein said connection establishing modulefurther comprises: a connection enabling module for responding,according to said related information, to a subscriber profile requestof said UE to enable the establishment of said sponsored serviceconnection; a connection accepting module for responding to saidestablishment request of said sponsored service connection to accept anattachment to IP-CAN by said UE.
 13. The device according to claim 11,wherein, said connection establishing module further comprises: a policygenerating module for generating policy rule for controlling saidsponsored service connection according to said related information ofsaid sponsored service connection; a connection controlling module forcontrolling said sponsored service connection according to said policyrule.
 14. The device according to claim 13, further comprising: a reportreceiving module, for receiving reporting information from said thirdparty application provider; a policy updating module, for updating saidpolicy rule according to said reporting information; and a connectionupdating control module, for controlling said sponsored serviceconnection according to said updated policy rule.
 15. A device forproviding service usage information of a User Equipment (UE) in aservice management and usage control system of a communication network,comprising: a service report receiving module for receiving a usagereport of the service on said UE; a limit judging module for judging,according to said report, whether a usage limit of the service for saidUE is exceeded; a limit exceeding report sending module for sending alimit exceeding report to a subscriber profile repository (SPR) locatedbetween a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and a third partyapplication provider in the communication network when the usage limitof the service for said UE is exceeded, said SPR, PCRF or a Policy andCharging Enforcement Function (PCEF) controlling a sponsored serviceconnection, which is sponsored by said third party application provider,when receiving a successful acknowledgement from said third partyapplication provider corresponding to a validation request sent to saidthird party application provider by SPR when the service is a sponsoredservice.